


you're good, too quickly admitted

by pyrality



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Coffeeshop AU, College AU, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, kuroushi qp, oiiwa qp, ushioi qp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 00:20:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2448437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyrality/pseuds/pyrality
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Iwaizumi sits back in the chair, "Oikawa thinks I could do better."</p>
  <p>Ushijima swallows, eyes still on his laptop screen, "And what do you think?"</p>
  <p>"I think I'd like to go out to lunch with you sometime."</p>
  <p>He looks up at the other boy, feeling warm at the sight of Iwaizumi's crooked, barely there smile, a challenging twinkle in his eye.</p>
  <p>"Oh," Ushijima manages before he recomposes himself, "I'd like that.”</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	you're good, too quickly admitted

“Have a nice day,” Ushijima had said, impulsively, and the barista’s eyebrow raised a fraction of a centimeter before he huffed, lip curving up in the barest smile.  
  
“Yeah, thanks,” he had answered, tone somewhat dismissive. Ushijima fumbled, trying to slip his wallet back into his book bag without incident, flustered by the amused smirk the barista flashed him with a hint of teeth as he walked away from the counter over to the wait area for his drink.  
  
Ushijima was charmed, honestly.   
  
He adjusted his glasses, big and thick-rimmed frames, up along his nose and glanced back over at the barista. The other boy has short cropped dark hair, lips jutted out in a perpetual pout. He feels a bit embarrassed when the boy catches him staring with a raised eyebrow, and he ducks his head down, bringing a hand up to press against his bangs, shielding his arm over his flushed face.  
  
Ushijima takes his tea from a startlingly familiar face, a pretty boy with curly brunet hair, who glares at him from beneath flaring eyelashes and the bounce of his soft bangs against his forehead.  
  
"Oikawa," he greets, polite. He wasn’t aware Oikawa worked here. He wonders if the first barista he saw at the counter was the same boy he's only seen in profile from behind, often hanging out with Oikawa after classes.  
  
He has something of an unconventional rivalry with Oikawa after taking two humanities class together where they always ended up heatedly debating topics while the class looked on in equal parts exasperation and amusement. He thanks Oikawa for the coffee, politely tipping his head but the other boy seems unimpressed, lips pressed in a thin line as he looks away to his next task.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Ushijima honestly forgets the boy was working at the Starbucks. He'd come back on his shift on coincidence, unable to focus on his work in the library, finding himself restless for the busy chatter of the coffee shop as ambient background noise. He walks up to the counter, eyes on his phone, frowning at the checklist of homework he has yet to finish.  
  
The barista clears his throat.  
  
"What would you like to order?" he asks, the throaty and rough voice familiar to his ears.  
  
Ushijima startles from his reverie, looking up at the boy as he hastily tucks his phone back into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. His gaze flickers over the name tag: Iwaizumi. He orders what he usually does, tea and he grabs some croissants too because he's hardly eaten since his last afternoon class.  
  
"You're the one giving Oikawa trouble, huh?" Iwaizumi says as Ushijima thumbs through his wallet for cash.  
  
"Our debates are always interesting," Ushijima says, looking up at him for a moment before dropping his gaze back to his wallet to pull out his money. "I told him I'd like to get to know him better out of class as well, to talk about topics we both enjoy, but he seems rather disinclined towards me."  
  
Iwaizumi laughs, short and breathy, and Ushijima feels a bit embarrassed that he admittedly finds the barista very attractive despite his intimidating presence and perpetual frown.  
  
"That guy takes everything too personally. I think it's good you're keeping him on his toes."  
  
"It's good that you think it's good," Ushijima says quickly. "I think _you're_ good."  
  
Iwaizumi blinks. The woman behind Ushijima taps her foot impatiently.  
  
"Sorry," Ushijima says, quickly handing Iwaizumi the cash and grabbing his bag of croissants, stepping out of the way. "You can keep the change and I don't need a receipt."  
  
"Uh, okay," Iwaizumi says. He smiles a little though, looking grateful, and it makes the corners of his eyes crinkle.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Oikawa does come around eventually though, finally agreeing to study with Ushijima outside of class and do homework together, probably because of Iwaizumi's pushing, he realizes.  
  
He makes the mistake of asking Oikawa over lunch if Iwaizumi's seeing anyone.  
  
"Iwa-chan is very delicate," Oikawa says, expression critical, stirring his coffee with one hand while he points at Ushijima with the other. "You've got a stick up your ass; it's no good."  
  
Defensive, he blurts out, "I didn't say I was interested--"  
  
"It's _obvious,"_ the brunet says, haughty, inexplicably proud. He waves his hand animatedly, "Lots of boys like Iwa-chan. He's some sort of magnet. Of course it's because he's cute--" he cuts himself off and jabs at Ushijima again, narrowing his eyes sharply, "you can _not_ tell him I said that. We've been friends since we were kids-- I have to be a little mean to him and keep him on his toes."  
  
That makes no sense whatsoever to Ushijima, but after numerous debates with the boy over the course of approximately five months and two quarters together, he knows better than to interrupt Oikawa when he's talking.  
  
"Anyway, long story short," the brunet lifts his coffee cup to his lips, drinking a long sip before he sets the cup back down onto the plate. He traces the rim of his coffee cup with his finger, smiling sharply, "he's too good for you."  
  
Ushijima deliberates, reaching down to pick up his half-eaten sandwich, keeping it held up with his fingers tapping rhythmically against the bread. He keeps his gaze on the table, thoughtful as he considers what Oikawa's told him. The other boy has always had a sharp tongue, quick to poke and prod at Ushijima's weak points, but he's not malicious and that much Ushijima is certain of.  
  
"Don't play with your food," Oikawa tsks, disapproving, quirking an eyebrow at him as he takes another sip of his coffee, "I suppose you're about as primitive as Iwa-chan."  
  
"'Primitive'...?"  
  
Oikawa grins, wicked, and leans his cheek into his hand. "You were smitten fast too. It's incredibly cute, I guess, in a pathetic way."  
  
He still hasn't figured when Oikawa is giving a compliment or ribbing him in a roundabout way.  
  
"I'd still like to get to know him better," Ushijima says finally, after much deliberation before taking a bite out of his sandwich. The brunet is probably testing him, he realizes, "With your blessing," he adds, covering his mouth with his free hand as he chews.  
  
Oikawa wrinkles his nose. “Then we're going to have to work on your table manners first."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Ushijima rarely listens to music if he's studying at the café. The ambient noise of the coffee shop is usually enough to get him to focus on whatever he's working on. He puts his headphones on and listens to classical music though, when a loud couple comes in and sits at the adjacent table, rowdy and excitable. He's so focused on his research paper that he loses track of time. There's a sharp tap on his shoulder and muffled talking suddenly. Ushijima turns from his laptop, tugging an earbud out, feeling slightly irritated at being interrupted when he was in the middle of typing out a good stream of thoughts.  
  
"Must've been bad timing, hm. You look cranky," Iwaizumi comments, smiling. It's a crooked and amused smile and the frown melts off of Ushijima's face.  
  
"No," he says, too quickly, before whirling around to look at his laptop, "well. Actually," he turns back to Iwaizumi, "would you mind if I just finish getting my thoughts typed out?"  
  
"Not at all," the other boy hums. He adjusts the shoulder strap of his bag and pulls out the chair next to Ushijima to sit down.   
  
He waits patiently, pulling out his phone to type something before setting it down on the table. Ushijima notices out of the corner of his eye that when Iwaizumi checks his phone after it vibrates that he's scowling and a little pink in the face.  
  
"Is it Oikawa?" he hears himself asking without looking away from his screen.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Iwaizumi answers, seeming startled, "He's just poking his nose where it doesn't belong."  
  
Ushijima chews on the inside of his cheek, chancing a glance at the other boy. He has a feeling he knows what Oikawa texted Iwaizumi about, but he's not sure, "You two seem close."  
  
"We're childhood friends," Iwaizumi replies, tone a hint softer, "I wish he wasn't so nosy though," he huffs, setting his phone face down.  
  
"Was he perhaps poking around in your romantic endeavors?" Ushijima tries, keeping his tone as even as he can with his eyes on the screen.  
  
Iwaizumi laughs again, that same short and breathy chuckle. He leans closer to him, "You typed the same sentence twice," he says, teasing, and Ushijima feels his cheeks flush hot with embarrassment, fingers stuttering across the keyboard to backspace his words. Iwaizumi sits back in the chair, "And Oikawa thinks I could do better."  
  
Ushijima swallows, eyes still on his laptop screen, "And what do you think?"  
  
"I think I'd like to go out to lunch with you sometime."  
  
He looks up at the other boy, feeling warm at the sight of Iwaizumi's crooked, barely there smile, a challenging twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Oh," Ushijima manages before he recomposes himself, "I'd like that."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
“A bookstore café date? That sounds like something straight out of Tokyo Ghoul,” his roommate says, and when Ushijima blinks, Kuroo waves his hand dismissively, “It’s nothing. I hope it goes well."  
  
Ushijima runs a hand through his hair, restless, and settles down on the couch next to Kuroo. The black-haired boy puffs out a fond sigh, curling against the catty-corner of the sofa and pressing his feet against his thigh.  
  
"You nervous?"  
  
"I suppose," Ushijima admits, hand tightening into a fist in his hair.  
  
"You don't need to be." Kuroo lays his head down on the armrest, toes curling against his thigh, "He's the one who asked you out."  
  
"I'm nervous about talking to him. He's very attractive."  
  
The black-haired boy laughs, wheezing as he clasps his own stomach with his hands, "Ushijima, god," he gasps, "you're so _gay_."  
  
"Don't tease, Kuroo," he says, defensive, turning pink in the face. He drops his hand from his hair, fisting his hands over his thighs, tense, "This is very serious."  
  
"I know, I know," Kuroo chuckles. He taps his feet against Ushijima's leg to catch his attention, "I really think you'll be okay. If you don't stress about it, it'll go much smoother. Have some self-confidence. You're calling him attractive, but don't forget you are too."  
  
"Am I?" Ushijima asks, playful.  
  
"Don't go fishing for compliments, Toshi," Kuroo huffs, pretending to pout, "I'm quite shy, you know."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"After you," Ushijima says excitedly, holding the door open for Iwaizumi.  
  
The other boy raises an eyebrow at him but enters, fingers resting briefly against the door's surface as he passes. He finds them a booth near the back, private and warmly lit by soft golden lights curling off the wall. The tables are a dark cherry wood, deeply colored and gorgeous, and Ushijima feels faintly out of place, clumsily dressed in dark blue jeans and a black windbreaker over a faded blue t-shirt. Iwaizumi is more appropriately dressed for a quietly elegant café like this, donning black jeans with a long-sleeved white shirt underneath a dark grey short-sleeved sports vest.  
  
"This is nice," he hears Iwaizumi say as he settles down in the booth, eyes on the drink menu on the wall. He side-eyes Ushijima, half-smiling, "I didn't peg you for the type to like places like this."  
  
Ushijima winces, trying to play it off. He should've known better than to take Oikawa's advice for a date place. He likes bookstore cafés but he tends to frequent busy establishments like the one Iwaizumi works at near the campus or very quiet and quaint old ones by his apartment. This café is quiet, but too elegant, straight out of a novel, and it makes Ushijima's ears burn at how suggestive the romantic undertones of the store's theme design are.  
  
Iwaizumi orders milk coffee and Ushijima feels adventurous enough to try for black coffee. The order gets a smirk out of Iwaizumi and when the barista leaves, he leans forward.  
  
"Don't hurt yourself trying to impress me," he says, flashing him a sharp grin and Ushijima flushes pink down to his neck.  
  
Once the coffee comes though, they chat idly, conversation coming easily enough. Ushijima is relieved at how his nervousness fades as they keep talking. They fall into a comfortable silence after laughing at a story about one of Iwaizumi's service encounters at the coffee shop.  
  
Iwaizumi stirs his coffee idly, humming. “Today was nice,” he says after awhile.  
  
Ushijima blinks, looking down at the heavy watch on his wrist. It was an expensive going-away-to-college gift from his mom. He doesn’t like to wear it because it’s fancy and heavy, and he often worried about scratching the watch’s surface, but when his mom heard about his date, she insisted he put it on. “You have to impress him!” she had said, huffing over the phone, and he was sure she must’ve been pouting. He furrows his brow at the hands of the clock, surprised— it’s already been a few hours since they came into the shop.  
  
“I hope you enjoyed yourself,” Ushijima manages, rubbing at his nose with his finger, looking down at his cup of black coffee. He barely drank any of it, partially because it was too bitter for his taste and the other part because he was too distracted listening to Iwaizumi talk. He squeezes his coffee cup with both hands, looking up to meet Iwaizumi’s gaze evenly, “I did. I’d like to see you again. Only if that’s okay with you.”  
  
The other boy smiles, just barely, and drums his fingers on the table. “Why don’t we have lunch together on Monday after classes? You get out at the same time Oikawa does, right?”  
  
“Ah, yes. I do.”  
  
“He’ll complain about being a third wheel,” Iwaizumi says, waving a hand dismissively, “but just ignore him.”  
  
“Okay,” Ushijima swallows, scratching at his neck, along the line of where his windbreaker presses against his warm skin, “So does this mean that we’re…”  
  
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Ushijima,” Iwaizumi says, taking a long sip from his cup of milk coffee. He sets the cup down and props his elbow onto the table, leaning his cheek into his hand, a lazy smirk curling his lips. “You’ll have to take me out on a few more dates first.”  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
He walks Iwaizumi back to his shared apartment with Oikawa where the brunet greets them with a smug smile. He leans his weight along the door frame, forearm pressed up by his head. He tilts his head at them and stretches his legs along the threshold of the door, blocking Iwaizumi from going in.  
  
“How lewd, Iwa-chan, taking the boy home on the first date,” Oikawa says, cooing, gaze flickering briefly over to Ushijima, who flushes warm at the insinuation.  
  
Iwaizumi merely glares at the brunet, used to his antics, and jabs him in the side, making him yelp in surprise.  
  
“Geez, so rough, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa grumbles, making a show of pouting and rubbing at his side tenderly. “So,” he’s addressing Ushijima this time, looking at him with a sparkle in his eyes, “did you two hold hands?” He puckers his lips, fueled by the way Ushijima blushes and steps back, looking away, "Was there any kissing? Over clothes action—“  
  
“ _Oikawa_ ,” Iwaizumi growls, and Ushijima is surprised to see that the boy is slightly flushed after all, barely pink under the tan skin of his cheeks.  
  
“Okay, okay,” the brunet relents, turning around and going back into the apartment. He waves a hand as he leaves, “It was nice seeing you, Ushiwaka-chan, I’m going to crush you in debate on Monday."  
  
Iwaizumi glares after Oikawa’s profile as he disappears into the confines of their apartment before he turns to look at Ushijima. He stays silent for a few moments before he steps close suddenly, reaching up to grab the zipper of Ushijima’s windbreaker, zipping it all the way up his neck.  
  
“It’s cold today. I’ll see you on Monday,” he says softly, backing away, smoothing his hand down Ushijima’s chest as he steps back and turns to his apartment. He’s barely smiling when he says, "At lunch and at the shop.”  
  
Ushijima finds himself without words, helplessly waving as he watches Iwaizumi shut the door behind himself. He is eagerly awaiting Monday already. 


End file.
